‘Pregnant Man’ Thomas Beatie Plans For Fourth Child

“Pregnant Man” Thomas Beatie and his wife, Nancy, are making plans to expand their history-making family. Transgender male Thomas made headlines in June 2008 when he became the first man to have a baby. The couple are now parents to Susan, 2-1/2, Austin, 20 months, and Jensen, seven months.

But amidst plans for another child, Thomas and Nancy are dealing with some very serious financial matters – the couple has been forced to file for bankruptcy and live on food stamps and their home was repossessed last year.
Reports say that the Beaties annual self-employment income dropped from over $300,000 in 2008 to negative $16,000 in 2010. The stock market crash wiped out their savings and their T-shirt printing business failed, leading to their home in Bend, Oregon going into foreclosure. “It has been a very difficult year,” said Thomas. “We never thought we would leave Bend. We planned on staying there and raising our children. “But the children remind me every day what’s important. They are our motivation to succeed and press on.”

According to their bankruptcy documents, the Beaties are over $3 million in debt, which includes over $330,000 for credit cards and over $14,000 in medical expenses. Though they claim to have only $150 in their bank accounts, the couple remain optimistic about their future and plans for another child.

“We are staying positive and we’re determined to make this a good family home,” Thomas said. “We’re both strong people and we’ve been through worse things in our lives. People might think this will have affected us and brought us down, but we refuse to let things beat us, and we don’t want anyone’s sympathy.”

It makes me sad when people who are struggling for money and a way to feed their children.. are planning to have another.

Please rebuild your finances and your family life before even beginning to think of bringing another child into this world.

Anonymous

agreed , you should not bring a child into a predicament they didnt ask for. save money then think about a new addition to the family , thats what responsible parents would do !

klutzy_girl

Okay, adding to your family when you’re thinking about filing for bankruptcy is just irresponsible. They should wait a little while, until they can get back on their feet, to discuss another child! This is just a bad idea.

alaina

do I feel sorry for her(Thomas) no. she knew what she doing. can they live on food stamp money alone? with three kids still in diapers.

Anonymous

Thomas is a him, not a her.

Anonymous

Legally a man. Biologically a woman. Both him and her are correct. If you still get confused, just remember that men can’t have babies so that “Thomas” is only a man in the eyes of the law. You may think that’s cool but others don’t and since he/she can carry a baby to term and my husband can’t, I would agree that Thomas is a her.

Anonymous

If Thomas says he’s a man, then he is. You don’t get to decide that.

Anonymous

To be fair, YOU also don’t get to decide other people’s opinions.

Anonymous

I’m sticking up for someone being bullied about their identity, you’re all just being crass. Big difference.

Anonymous

Not really. Exact same principle.

J

You have a fundamental misunderstanding of the difference between sex and gender.
Thomas is indeed a man.

Anonymous

It’s really no ones business! Let the legally MARRIED couple live their lives, and go about their own business.

Cindy

Yeah, just like if someone wakes up one day and says he is now a rabbit. That makes him a rabbit, right?

Anonymous

Haha well I guess if he’s SURE he’s a rabbit? and he’s even had surgery to look like one…? hahaha funny.

Anonymous

Because that’s totally the same thing. I hope your children don’t share the same “logic” as you. Pitiful.

Anonymous

It is gender identity and not species identity, these are two entirely different things and it is disgusting that you even related them. I hope your children do not share the same ‘attitude’ as you. Pitiful.

Anonymous

That’s the point I made.

Anonymous

My three year old decided he was a dinosaur today, should we get paperwork together to get that arranged?

Anonymous

Someone recommended me a nice community
~ BlackwhiteCupid.com ~where black & white singles are looking for lovers to share interracial lifestyle with…you may check it out or tell your friends.

nosoupforyou

I live in reality. Any human being that can and does give birth is a female.

Victoria

Does anyone else think it so strange that as someone who wants to be seen as a man, she has children something that women do. You just hear and read about so many stories about girls who feel like boys who get their periods and feel devastated about it, won’t wear anything that has to be associated with being a woman, and vice versa with boys. IDK it just strikes me as for lack of a better word ingenuine, but you never know, everyone’s story and views are different

Anonymous

That’s not a man, she has a working uterus just like many other women straight or gay. Women have been giving birth since forever, she’s not so special. Secondly, why bring another child into the world if you’re that deep in debt. Now on to more important news

Anonymous

Yes and of course she yes she can have as many kids as she wants.. She
is not a man but a woman who like Chasitity Bono chose to change there
sex …And This Man??? kept his female organs so why call it a he that can
have as many kids as he wants. HE KEPT HIS UTERUS AND HIS PERIOD
SO GO AHEAD..

Daniella

They’re filing for bankruptcy yet they also want to have another child at this time? Totally & utterly irresponsible. No child should be brought into such an unstable situation. And as I’ve said before, when a male without any type of female reproductive parts has a baby, call me, because that would be a true miracle & (for lack of better words) freak of nature. This situation is simply yet another female giving birth, just like we’ve done for millions of years. Nothing special or extraordinary at all.

nosoupforyou

I agree with you totally on all counts.

souths mendepo

Sick and pervertous. What a blasphemy to have such a debase mind. How can anyone human (except animal) canno’t accept the fact that she is a she and he is a he no matter how much cosmetic surgery and genetic reconstruction we undergo. What has gone wrong with these creatures? Can’t we stop a minute and appreciate the true we are in totality? By the way; identity crises a severe global crises. One crises leads to another. Hope it helps! Have a nice day.

Anonymous

Once again NOT A MAN!!! Makes sense that they should have a 4th child you have no money no car and are fling for bankruptcy but screw it lets see if we can get another 15 minutes of fame! They planned on that being their bread and butter but it didnt work out too well when everyone realized oh wait its not a man its a woman who had gender reassignment surgery! These people are idiots! Good thing they are parents!

AnnieMouse

Ewww. Just ewww. AND… Don’t have more if you can’t afford the one(s) you already have. To me it just sounds like a cry for help…

Anonymous

If “it” wanted to be a man it should have had all female parts removed and the the wife have the children, she just a woman with short hair and no boobs and need to shave…that is no “man” it’s two women in a lesbian relationship that want it to appear like man and woman, I think both women are just afraid to admit they were lesbians… And alot of people have financial problems, and they should work on getting out of debt before having another mouth for the tax payers to feed….grow out your hair, shave your face, call yourself a lesbian and get a job…

Anonymous

His wife wasn’t able to have children because of a hysterectomy. That’s why they decided that he would carry their children.

So, if the criteria for being a woman is having a uterus, what does that make his wife, seeing as how she doesn’t have one?

Cindy

And having a mastectomy doesn’t make you male, either.

Anonymous

My point is that there is much more to gender identity than the physical body. There was an interesting story a few years ago about a set of twins, born boys. Unfortunately, during circumcision, one of the twins was severely mutilated, and the parents decided to raise the baby as a girl. Poor thing underwent more surgeries and extensive hormone therapy (essentially the same as what transgendered folks go through during gender reassignment), but always felt like her body didn’t fit who she was. Always thought she was different and weird and went through horrible depression as a teen because she was a attracted to girls and thought she was gay. The parents FINALLY told her that she’d been born a boy, and that they’d made the decision to raise him as a girl. After all those torturous years, he finally felt like he could be true to himself, everything clicked. He’s now married and has a few children, and is finally happy.

So, while this young man’s case wasn’t one of being transgendered, it definitely supports (and in my opinion, PROVES) that the concept of gender identity is much more complex than simple biology.

An30

If you are thinking about David Reimer, whose story was described in the book, “As Nature Made Him”, he committed suicide in 2004.

Anonymous

Do you honestly believe a person would be SO afraid to come out as a lesbian that they would spend so much time, money, therapy and transforming their entire body to avoid the stigma? LOL what?! I swear you are all insane or something! Obviously being transgender is so much easier then being a lesbian, look at all the positivity Thomas faces. You’re right, that was soooo much easier. *Eyeroll*.

Anonymous

While I agree that they should take their time to get their finances in order before adding to their family, I am quite disheartened by the ignorant, intolerant comments that have been posted in response to this story. It’s hurtful and unnecessary. If you don’t understand what it means to be transsexual, that’s ok; thankfully, that struggle is not one that the majority of the population will ever experience, whether first- or second-hand. However, it’s NOT ok to be so vicious, condescending, and dismissive, regardless of your ignorance.

Anonymous

When a person like “Thomas” tries to pretend they are something they are not and then expects us to all applaud, I find that insulting. There are a lot of people with psychological problems but we don’t encourage their delusions, but if a person wants to mutilate their bodies to pretend to be another gender, society is supposed to high five them? Also it irritates me when men “become” women and they think all that needs to change is to hack off a few parts, attach a few others, and to start wearing dresses. Like women and men are no more than their parts and the clothes they wear. I find that vicious, condescending, and dismissive of real gender differences.

Anonymous

He’s not pretending to be something he’s not. It took unbelievable courage and strength of character to make the commitment to undergo gender reassignment. He is being TRUE to who he IS.

I don’t think you have to high-five him, or even accept that his life & family choices. But the hateful rhetoric that you’re spewing isn’t necessary. Being tolerant of someone’s choices doesn’t mean you have to like them, but it does mean live and let live.

For some reason, I’m unable to post a link, but please take some time to read up on transsexuality. Get past your own phobias and thoughts about gender, and try to look at this with compassion and understanding. What if this was your son or daughter? Would you vilify them like this? I hope to God you wouldn’t.

Cindy

I think what is most offensive is the constant claim that he is some miracle for having a child. Women do it all the time, and it is a miracle and amazing, but to constantly put yourself out there are some modern marvel is insulting.

An30

If “He is being TRUE to who he IS”, “he” would have removed ALL of HER female organs. Since she still has most of her reproductive organs, she is still biologically a woman; therefore, no need to applaud what is supposed to be a natural occurance.

J

Very well said.

Anonymous

I agree that is completely irresponsible to consider having another child when you can’t afford the ones you having. It makes me wonder if they are hoping for a big payday from this like a book or a reality show. Three kids sounds like plenty.

JIMMY

I really wish there were a way to make it so that it can be more difficult to make negative comments to news like this. (See lower in this comment for information on this.) Among all pieces of news, the news related to the pregnant man is the news that people who comment complain about a lot. They keep saying “Stop with this pregnant man stuff! This is a woman!” How do you think I perceive comments like this?? The answer is:

Many people have comfortable knowledge about gender independent of transsexuals, but cannot handle the facts about transsexuals. They think it’s important that language needs to be “politically incorrect”.

Is anyone able to improve how I perceive comments like this?? In any case, I don’t think a first grade math problem as something to solve will easily prevent people from making negative comments to news like this. News like this (this goes for anything where people make negative comments on a lot) should get a seventh grade math problem for a test like this.

For anyone who sees this comment, please let me know how well you understand what I’m saying. Most especially please try your best to improve my perception of the negative comments scattered all over just about every news-related URL that mentions the pregnant man that say “I hate this stuff. This is really a woman.” I appear to be one of VERY FEW people who can handle this pregnant man news.

Anonymous

I’m with you, Jimmy. I don’t have a problem at all with the pregnant man news, either. If nothing else, his story has started a dialogue (unfortunately, it’s often negative and resorts to mud-slinging) about transsexuality and challenges our views on gender and what it means to be a man or a woman.

I cannot fathom the heartbreaking confusion and torment someone must feel when are transgendered. I can, however, offer my support, my empathy, and my compassion for my fellow HUMAN beings. We are all children of God, and it would behoove some of the other commenters to remember that.

Daniella

I’m not saying anything nasty about Thomas Beatie aside from the severe irresponsibility of bringing a child into this situation & that in the eyes of the scientific community, there is nothing astonishing about about him having a child since he was born a female with female reproductive parts. He has not had those reproductive parts removed, so he is not scientifically a male giving birth to a child. A situation like that is completely unprecedented, so that is why every doctor & professor at most universities scoff at the term “pregnant male” being used to describe these births.

Cindy

You’re making an either/or statement. You’re saying either people say, “Wow! Amazing! A man had a baby!” or that we’re all uneducated closeminded idiots who have transgenderphobia (is that even a word?)” When actually the problem, basing it on most of the comments, is NOT that he is transgendered, but that he’s put himself out there as some incredible modern marvel who has had a child. He was born a woman and has female reproductive parts that he used to have a baby. He can call himself a man, he can get legally declared a man, and he can look like a man….but it’s his biological parts that allowed him to give birth, and those are FEMALE. Having a child is a miracle, yes, and I’ve had two myself. But there is nothing special about this miracle in that it’s been done millions of times. Now for that pesky math question…

Anonymous

Do you have some type of personal grudge? You’re ALL over this post going bat sh*t over Thomas! Why does he effect you so much? Like seriously. Do you have some type of insecurity that you’re trying to mask by being a big bully? We get it. You don’t like him. Go gloat about yourself being better elsewhere.

Anonymous

It’s irresponsible to have another child under these current conditions, but you people are so judgmental, offensive and nasty. If Thomas says he is a man then he is. It’s not disgusting, it’s not creepy, it’s his life and his choices, you need to respect that and have some common decency. You don’t get to decide what he chooses to label himself as, only he does. Remember that we’re all human.

Anonymous

*high five*

alaina

Thomas knew when she sold her story. she will get negative comments.

rachel s

lol, he’s turned into a Michelle Duggar.

AJ

Wow, people are so catty. Constantly referring to Thomas as “she”? Thomas has chosen to live his life as a man, the reason he still has a uterus and is carrying children is because his wife is incapable of doing so. Like someone said above, if the criteria for being a woman is having a uterus, does that make his wife an “it” too?

Honestly, I hope they wait to have a child, not because I have any issues with the “pregnant man” thing, but because it sounds like they’re not financially ready for one.

Margaret

Please stop calling this person a man. No man has a uterus. No man can give birth. This is a woman with a double mastectomy and a mustache.

Anonymous

Maybe if he didn’t waste so much money have sex-change surgery he’d have more money to support his children/family.

Anonymous

Why doesn’t he stop paying money for those hormones he’s taking to look like a man? Are his children not more important than that?

Cindy

I see I’m not the only one with this opinion, but he’s not a man any more than a woman who has has a mastectomy is a man. She chooses to dress like a man, but that doesn’t make her a man. I’m so tired of reading about this miracle man having a baby. (yeah, yeah, I know…don’t read it then…I’ve read that one before, too)

Anonymous

its stupid that she is called a “pregnant man” you obviously need a vagina and ovaries to have children, folks. its just fine if she is transgender and calls herself a man but technically, the “pregnant man” is female.

Alicia

If HE wants to have another child that’s wonderful…who are we to judge him? I however do think that he should wait until he is financially stable before bringing a other child into this world…also for some of the ignorant people making comments about his sex…grow up!!! He is a man if that’s what he chooses to be! What if this was your child?

Anonymous

I have absolutely nothing against sex changes. People can call themselves whatever they want, be whatever they want, etc… my only annoyance is the media over-hyping the story about the “pregnant man”. Seeing as this individual chose to keep the female reproductive organs to carry a child is not the same as someone who was born male suddenly getting pregnant and carrying a child to term. There is a difference, scientifically speaking, and that is my only gripe about this story. Nothing personal against the people involved. Just gets on my nerves when the media makes mountains out of mole hills lol

Anonymous

Broke + Media Whore + Wanting Money = Having another baby.

Pathetic. I’m so over this WOMAN and her issues. Get out of debt before trying to bring another child into the picture. And having another baby just to make $$ off of the fact she calls herself a man is utterly pathetic and lame.

Ellie

Wanting to have another child and going ahead and having one are two different things. Let’s just hope they wait until financially stable. Don’t these fertility treatments have to be paid for in advance if not covered by insurance? If so that may hold them off for a while.

Anonymous

If I recall, Thomas doesn’t have any fertility issues. He & his wife get sperm from a donor bank and to the insemination at home. I don’t think sperm is all that expensive.

Bella

To me it’s a situation of having your cake and eating it too. Thomas wants to be a man but still wants to be a women because he/she wants to carry a child. Women have babies, men don’t simple as that. Thomas is not special in any ways just selfish for trying to market himself as a man when truly he isn’t quite a man just yet! Now granted he can do whatever he wants and call himself whatever he wants but biology doesn’t lie. I also don’t care what lifestyle they choose that’s their business and nobody elses but lets keep it correct. Thomas is a women biologically and still is. Just bc you cut your hair take hormones and grow facial hair doesn’t biolgically make you a man.

That being said, bringing 3 kids into the world is beautiful but another when you financially struggling is selfish. Not to mention 3 babies in a span of 2 1/2 years is a lot for anyone. I hope they don’t put themselves and what THEY want infront of what is right for THEIR children.

Anonymous

I don’t have any issues with Thomas being exactly what/who he chooses to be in life but I can see where alot of peoples’ opinions are coming from on here.
Legally Thomas may be a man. He may be seen as a man, his friends and family treat him as a man. His outer appearance is definitely that of a man. However technically speaking, if you are going by the medical books he is a still a woman because he still has all of his female reproductive organs.
I am not trying to knock Thomas by saying this but like some other people have said, the fact that he gave birth is no miracle as he is still technically a woman. Men cannot carry a child and give birth. It is an impossibility. It takes a uterus to do so, something men lack.
Again, I have no problem with Thomas and his lifestyle. If he chooses to live as a man that is his choice and its wonderful. I think its great that he is able to have the children for his family that his wife cannot.
As far as adding to their brood, I would definitely wait until I had the money to support them.

An30

EXACTLY!!!

Gisele

anonymous at 7:15pm you rock my world!

Anonymous

obviously many of you have no real idea about what constitutes the difference between gender and sex. If any of you would like to educate yourselves go look up Judith Buter, Judith Halberstam, and then come back here and argue with this person who is trying to stick up for people that are marginalized in their lives daily and need more respect and understanding than is afforded them.

Why is that even a part of the commentary, it should be concerning the financial decisions they are making. The article has nothing to do with the identity of either person involved and makes no issue of it, so why would any of you?

I dot agree with their financial decisions, but i dont agree with debating the validity of someone’s identity. Is is not my place, nor is it any of yours.

Anonymous

Oh come on, it’s very simple…….he has a uterus and a vagina……that’s a woman. And to those who keep saying “what about the wife. She doesn’t have a uterus so is she not a woman?”. Well there is a big difference.. she was BORN with a uterus and a vagina.

Anonymous

I think the point most of us “Anonymouses” are trying to make is that gender identity ISN’T a simple issue, nor is gender identity the same as sexual identity. Gender identity is not as simple as biology. There’s more to what makes us men or women than our reproductive organs or genetics. I think the bulk of who we are, how we identify who we are to ourselves and to the world, resides very much in the unseen, in the soul. And because it’s unseen, it’s difficult to extract our definition of gender from the physical, the seen. I understand the difficulty that people have trying to define or understand something as abstract and inherently complex as gender. I also understand that someone like Thomas challenges our understanding of gender and forces us to think outside of the norm, which for many, can be incredibly uncomfortable. That said, to be so judgmental and cruel to a fellow human being is heartless and goes against what it means to be part of the brother- and sisterhood of mankind.

Anonymous

Believe me, I completely understand having gender identity issues. I completely believe that people can be born with what they believe to be the wrong body. I take no issue with this but come on “he” has a freaking vagina and uterus and is using it to conceive children. Mentally he might be a man but physically “he” is a woman. PP you obviously sound like an intellligent person so how can you not see what is obvious. I really have no problem with Thomas at all, mostly it’s with the media who keep repeating over and over again that this is a pregnant “man”. If he had a penis and testicle and was truly a pregnant man than that would be a miracle and deserves all the media attention . There is nothing miraculous here.

Anonymous

We all understand that he still has a female reproductive system, we get it. What we’re defending is his right to be himself and fighting against all the immature comments and bullying going on here. Hopefully someone will change their mind out of all of this.

Anonymous

Another child the state is going to have to pay for. I think if families have already received food stamps and then they choose to have another child, they should loose their food stamp privileges. This is obviously not an “oops” child- this is a planned baby who is being born to an irresponsible family that is filing for bankruptcy to abandon their responsibility to pay back the credit card companies for dept that they created for themselves. You don’t get to $330,000 in credit card debt without at least a little bit of “lets spend the money, they can’t make us pay it back”

Anonymous

look at you talking like a big ball of hate imagine if you lost your job and haD TO RESORT TO FOODSTAMPS would you consider yourself jus another d**k that the state has to pay for cuz lesbo or not these people had money when they started this family and whom aRE YOU TO JUDGE ANYONE GETTING PREGNANT WHETHER ON FOODSTAMPS OR NOT I BET UR A TELEMARKETER ARENT U? GET A LIFE!!!

Anonymous

Body parts aside…who cares. But no one should have children if they can’t afford them. Period. (no pun intended)

Anonymous

It doesn’t matter to me who had the baby. As far as I’m concerned you are the dad. I just think you should stop thinking babies, raise the beautiful 3 you have and start taking your meds so you can become the daddy that obviously you were meant to me for what ever reason. Good Luck!!